Good-bye 3270

For many years, the IBM 3270 series of mainframe terminals defined administrative computing at UF. These rugged terminals were everywhere --- in the library, at registration, in the administrative offices of the departments and on the desks of advisors. They were the access points for the ``Dean's Network'' an early effort to get on-line information to UF's administrative users. But the days of these work horse terminals are numbered.

3270 series terminals are being replaced with networked computers. A networked computer (PC, Macintosh or UNIX workstation) running appropriate software can behave as if it were a 3270 terminal. That is, it can access the same services in much the same way as a ``real'' 3270 terminal. The information provider (usually the NERDC mainframe computer) can use the networked computer for LUIS, SAMAS, SASS, VM/CMS, and other services that expect to find a 3270 series terminal at the other end of a wire

The wire has been replaced as well. 3270 series terminals were wired using coaxial cable similar (but not identical) to cable TV wire. The wire ran to controllers and then on to the mainframe computer. Networked computers are wired using cable similar (but not identical) to phone wire. The wire goes to hubs and routers that connect all networked computers to each other, rather than to the single mainframe. The old wire is no longer used and is abandoned like old railroad tracks.

There are real benefits to making the change to networked computers.

One machine. Most administrative users have a computer for word processing and other office tasks. By using their computer to act as a 3270 series terminal, they can give up their old 3270 terminal and have just one machine.
Speed. Networked computers are faster than 3270 series terminals. Information is displayed faster and users can change screens and locate information faster.
Type ahead. Many 3270 series terminals forced the operator to wait while information was being retrieved and displayed. Computers permit the operator to type while information is being displayed. This increases the speed with which information can be entered and retrieved.
Color. Most networked computers have color monitors. Most 3270 series terminals were monochrome.
Cut and Paste. On a computer with a graphical user interface (Windows, or OS/2, or a Macintosh or UNIX X-windows) the contents of a mainframe session can be displayed in a window while a word processor or other program is simultaneously displayed in a second window. The operator can use a mouse to cut information from the mainframe window and paste it into documents appearing in a second window. This means that screens can easily be saved, printed as part of other documents, and e-mailed.
File transfer. Some 3270 emulation programs enable the operator to move mainframe files to the PC and vice versa with simple keystrokes.
Improved access. The same computer one uses to access the Internet, to send and receive electronic mail, and write and print documents is the device one uses to access 3270-based services. Since more people in academic departments have computers that 3270 series terminals, more people will have access to data.

Note that the services are still 3270-based. This means they expect mainframe function keys like PA2 and Reset which must be emulated on a PC keyboard. The services are still presented in 24 rows of 80 columns of mono-spaced font.

As the fleet of 3270 series terminals is retired and replaced with computers with mice that are capable of color and fonts and arbitrary sized windows, we will see the next generation of administrative data access tools deployed assuming these features. Such access tools are common on the Internet. Some day, they will be common at UF.